This soup was inspired by my recent temporary home, Los Angeles, California. The place where KALE is the solution to everything, for everyone. I was amazed to find this sturdy leafy green on literally every menu. From local coffee house to hip bistros, health food cafés and award-winning restaurants. Kale was found in salads, smoothies, juices, roasts, pizzas, ice creams and cakes. I even saw people grow their own kale in their tiny front yards in Venice Beach.

And it was during my stay in L.A. that I chose to share more about this KALE mania (Yes! There’s more!) with Yoga Magazine. The culinary article I wrote (which includes some epic anecdotes and three surprising kale recipes) will be included in the Spring 2016 edition of this incredibly popular Dutch periodical.

But first… winter. And a dreamy creamy recipe to celebrate her! This soup tickles the taste buds and boosts the body. It contains both kale as well as its sister, the pale and powerful cauliflower. In fact, trend-watchers say cauliflower is going to be the next kale. Go figure! I say, dive into the kitchen and let your cauliflower craze commence!

Xoxo kyra.

RECIPE

Cauli kale swirl soup

Makes: 3-4 portions soup & 7 portions kale pesto

Takes: 20 minutes

Ingredients

Cream soup

500 grams (1 small head) cauliflower

50 grams cashew, raw

2 stalks celery, no strings

2 bay leaves

1 tsp mustard seeds

2 large tsp sea salt

2 small tsp black pepper

Kale pesto swirl

2 tbsp mild olive oil

250 grams kale, washed, cut and steamed for 10 min

75 grams chestnuts (precooked)

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

3 tbsp nutritional yeast

½ tbsp raw apple cider vinegar

Topping

1-2 tbsp mustard seeds, roasted in dry skillet

Instructions

Place all the ingredients names under cream soup in pot, add water to cover and cook until both cauliflower and cashews are soft.

Strain half of the remaining water but keep it to the side. Blend the remaining. Use a bit of the cooking water you kept to the side to create the right consistency. The soup should be thick, smooth, white and ultra creamy.

For the pesto: steam kale leaves for 10 minutes and place all ingredients named under pesto in a food processor (or use handblender).

Place mustard seeds in a dry skillet and roast until they start popping. Remove from heat.

Pour 200 grams of soup into each bowl, swirl each portion with two tablespoons of kale pesto, sprinkled with mustard seeds and perhaps one of the bay leaves used. You can store the pesto that’s left in an airtight container in the fridge and use it to dress salads, pasta or your favourite roasted vegetable dish.